


Passage

by dorkpatroller



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: AU, Gen, Insomnia, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Sort of a modern Au and sort of a general au, There will be fluff, Time Travel, and everyone just wants what's best for owain, my good boys trying to be in love, owainigo, there will be angst, there will be some spooky elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:41:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29116932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dorkpatroller/pseuds/dorkpatroller
Summary: Owain has been having dreams lately. More and more that are interfering with school and his routines. Then one dream becomes something more, and he's stepped into another realm entirely. Things aren't easy from there, but it feels right when he's met the man of his dreams.
Relationships: Azur | Inigo/Eudes | Owain
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	Passage

**Author's Note:**

> A prologue.

_ Every inhale coats their lungs with grit. The sand is savage, swirling in the air and slapping against their arms, their faces, their ears. Even with scarves wrapped around their noses and mouths, they’re swallowing the stuff. It’s miserable. The desert scorches their souls and the sand scorches what the heat can reach, and yet every soldier puts his face to the wind and presses onwards. For her, they cannot stop their march. For her, they would walk not only through dunes but through the fires of Hell itself. For her, they will carry on. _

…

“You look like shit,” Niles says. Owain glances at him and notices that neither he nor Leo is eating their food. They come to this homey diner now and then to have a quick brunch before they start their afternoon classes. It’s Niles’s favorite, but his food is almost untouched. At least he’s honest. Owain smiles helplessly between them. 

“I didn’t sleep well last night,” He answers. Leo and Niles are seated across from him in the booth, and Leo seems to be interested in hearing about this uneventful lack of sleep. “I’ve been having weird dreams is all.” 

“Nightmares?” Leo weaves his fingers together, plops his elbows on the table, and settles with his chin perched in his hands. “Perhaps you’re up too late playing video games.” 

Owain chuckles. “No, it’s nothing! Just vivid dreams.” Owain has been having them for a few days now. So far he plays no role in the dreams. They’re often no more than settings and a passing wave of emotion. A swirl of feeling so strong that it feels like he’s standing there among the rest of them, but he’s not. He’s seeing it all from an outside perspective. It’s likely no more than the stress of finals coming up in a few weeks. 

Niles shrugs and goes back to eating his food. Thankfully that seems to be the end of it, but for good measure, Owain thinks to add, “Fear not! Owain Dark is far stronger than a sleepless night. You’ll not be losing me any time soon.” 

“I should hope not,” Leo mutters back. He sits back in his chair and picks up his fork. The conversation after that is par for the course. They chatter about classes, DND, the teachers that are going to make finals week a living hell, and the promise that they only have one more year of college. They’ll make it!

When classes are over Owain doesn’t have the energy to do his homework. He wants to get in a nap--or even a full sleep!--so that he’ll be able to finish it in the morning before classes start. 

…

_ She’s still missing. They have to find her--desperately need to find her before someone or something hurts her. She’s their light, their leader, their beacon of hope. Without her… well the very thought fills them all with dread. They would survive, of course, but at what cost? _

_ The nights here are cold, the sand becomes powdered ice and clings to their sweat-damp bodies in uncomfortable clumps. They would give anything to go home, but they would never surrender. Not yet, not now. They’ll save her first. _

…

Owain wakes up with chills that morning and not until well after his alarm was meant to go off. By the time he gets to class his homework isn’t done and he’s barely presentable, but he wonders if he can explain the situation. After all, this is a teacher in psychology… maybe she’ll recognize something? So he stays behind after class and asks her about it. 

At first, she seems skeptical. Like maybe this is just an excuse. Then she must see the circles beginning to form under his eyes that provide ample evidence he’s not himself. She folds her hands on her desk. “Owain, I suppose you can turn it in tomorrow less 10% of your score,” She says. And then she taps her fingertips on the desk. “If you’re having recurring dreams or nightmares, consider some steps to identify the cause. The human mind works in mysterious ways. It could be anything from a vitamin deficiency to stress regarding the upcoming exams. Try some simple lifestyle changes first. Go to bed earlier, stay off your phone after dark, don’t drink anything caffeinated in the evenings, and drink plenty of water. That may be all there is to it.” 

Those all seem like good ideas, so Owain accepts the terms of the late grade and moves on with his day.

…

Owain startles awake. Rain is pouring down on top of him and he’s drenched in it. He’s on the ground practically sinking into the mud. A man is standing over him with… a sword? He isn’t poised to strike Owain though. He’s in a defensive stance, facing… something else. Owain stumbles to sit up on his elbows. “Wha,” He mutters. The man looks over his shoulder at him. 

“Stay down there, chap. You took a good blow to the head and--ah!” He stops talking so that he can lunge forward. Although sword fighting has always been a topic of interest for Owain, the squelch of the blade slicing into the monster makes his stomach turn. The stench of its metallic blood pouring out onto the ground isn’t appetizing either. But a moment later his possible savior turns and extends a sopping hand. “There, he was the last one. My name is Inigo, of Ylisse. You’re… not from around here, are you?” 

Owain takes his hand. Once he’s on his feet and his brain catches up with him, he has to admit that’s right. Owain shouldn’t be here, he should be home, sleeping. He should be getting ready to face the day and turn in his overdue work. Instead, he’s staring at this Inigo fellow and his brain hiccups. He’s dressed very… well he doesn’t look like he’s dressed like anyone else, that’s for sure. Tights and boots and a tunic sort of shirt… swords, and belts and a pauldron on his arm… he looks straight out of a fantasy game. “I-I’m Owain,” He stumbles back. Then he clears his throat. How could he miss his own introduction? “Owain Dark--a hero yet to find his cause.” 

Inigo snorts. His brow arches high. Perfect and pink, just like his hair. “A hero? Some hero out here in the mud unarmed and alone. What were you thinking? The Risen are everywhere now.” 

The Risen? Maybe that’s what they call the monster that is creating the pungent smell beside them. Inigo tugs a cloth from his pocket and swipes the blood off of his sword before carefully tucking it away. Owain rubs his arms nervously. 

And then his life changes. 

“Pardon me?” Inigo reaches out and grips his arm, forcing Owain to turn it over so he can see it. Presumably, he’s looking at his birthmark, and Owain has already told this story a million times so it comes out naturally--despite being louder than usual to be heard over the downpour.

“The mark of my lineage!” He calls. “I’ve had it since birth, though my parents were forced to leave me behind at a young age. I’ve never known its true meaning, but it calls to me.” 

Inigo stares at him with his lips parted. Pretty and pink, both his lips  _ and _ his hair. His bangs stick to his dark cheeks and his eyes flicker down and back up. “This is the Brand of the Exalt, Owain. Who  _ are _ you?” 

“The Brand of what?” Owain asks, truly interested in the words. It feels right, it sounded so  _ cool! _

“You’ve got to come with me.” Inigo takes a step back and tugs sharply on Owain’s wrist. “We need to take you to see Luci.” 

“Who?” Owain shouts.

“Lucina!” Inigo shouts back. “She’s my dear friend, and her aunt is the Exalt of Ylisse. They’ll know what to do about this.”

Huh. Is he in trouble? Owain has never heard of an Exalt or Ylisse or anything at all. But if this is a dream this is the very first dream where he’s been a character within it. He’s never known names or met people before, only felt their suffering or strength. Inigo is charming and radiates an aura of good energy. 

“Okay.” His voice is a tremble, Inigo doesn’t hear him, but he chooses not to resist. He’s going to find out the meaning of these dreams--if they’re dreams at all. He’s going to find out what the mark on his arm means, the secrets of his bloodline. And, more than likely, he’ll wake up before he finds out… because that tends to be the way dreams work. Until then he curls his fingers into Inigo’s and they run with Inigo leading the way and keeping a watchful eye out for Risen, all the way to Castle Ylisstol. 


End file.
